Positive Fridays - Week of April 23rd, 2012

Well what do you know, it's Friday again!  Another week has come and gone and that means just 4 more weeks of school left here in Brevard County, FL.

First off congrats to Lynnette winner of the #1 Kid's Best Songs by The Learning Station!  You have until Saturday morning at 6:30am Eastern to contact me or I will select another winner.

As I mentioned in my previous post I got a job teaching 5th grade for the remainder of the school year so no more day to day subbing reports.  Instead I'll report the positives of the week with my amazing 5th graders and other things in the school and possibly home!

- I walked into the school on Monday morning and asked where do I sign in?  I know many of you teachers probably don't have to sign in, but I have all 8 years of teaching at 2 different schools under 3 different administrators.  I was looked at kind of funny with that question and was told that teachers don't have to sign in.  This school just continues to blow me away by their trust and respect of us teachers!

- I am very pleased that my 5th graders have great manners!  Their parents and previous teacher have taught them to say Thank You.  Many of the 5th graders have enjoyed their mints prior to FCAT testing!  I believe mints are brain food and I try to give them out before tests.  The 3rd/4th graders, well most of them absolutely loved the mints when I gave them to them on Fridays for testing (when I subbed) and a couple of children will ask me for one when they see me and I just can't deny it if I have any in my pocket as it helps the brain think and it makes them smile so big!  It also settles my stomach if I have a stomach ache!  The 5th graders are starting to do the same, I'm going to have to buy more mints!

- I found out one of my 5th graders hopped on my blog and likes Miranda Lambert like me!  Miranda rocks what can I say, she needs to get back here again, even though I just saw her a few months ago. haha  

- I proctored FCAT Science for two days on Tuesday and Wednesday, which was a great learning experience!  I hope my 5th graders did an amazing job!  Wish we didn't have to wait so long to get the results.

- I am still getting such sweet hugs and smiles from so many children in the cafeteria and when they are in line for the restroom or activity.  It's so sweet that even though I am not subbing for them anymore they have not forgotten me and some only had me 1 day!  I love hearing them cheerfully call out my name.  They know how to keep filling my bucket with kindness!  

- One wonderful third grader was so excited to tell me she had read a whole chapter book in one school day.  She was beaming with pride and I told her how proud I was of her.  Any child who loves to read like her puts a huge smile on my face!  She was also so sad she missed me one day in the restroom, but saw me on her way to activity and she came right on over to talk to me and tell me how sad she was that she missed me.  We need more and more children like her in this world!  She fills my bucket nearly every day!

- The teachers at this school are so absolutely amazing, many either asked me how my first day was going or stopped by the room just to check and a couple have offered help if I get stuck planning lessons.  I love this type of teamwork.  The guidance counselor even gave me a piece of chocolate for no reason at all.  These teachers are bucket fillers!  Administration continues to be absolutely amazing as well always offering to help and give advice.  The assistant principal helped me set up a pizza party for my class on Friday for all my students!  Both of the administrators are also bucket fillers!

- In blog news, thank you fans, friends, family, parents, and students for over 45,000 page views!  You are amazing!  I started this journey at the encouragement of other teacher's who blog and didn't expect for my blog to take off like it has.  I have also sold as much money as I did last quarter and this month isn't even over yet!  Thank you to anyone who has purchased anything from me.  Whether you purchase or download my free items I thank you so much, it is so awesome to know that children around the world are using things I make.  That makes me feel really good!!!  I honestly never thought I'd sell a single thing!

Brian :-)